Aero Commander 680F accident near Prospectville, Pennsylvania, May 15, 1982
On May 15, 1982 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Aero Commander 680F, registered N567D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Prospectville, Pennsylvania (Turner Field). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 15, 1982 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Prospectville, Pennsylvania · Turner Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 680F · all 680Fs on the register
- Registration
- N567D · registry record · serial 680F-1050-57
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD PLANNED TO PURCHASE THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS FERRYING IT TO BUFFALO, NY FOR INSPECTION AND REPAIR. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE RIGHT ENGINE LOST POWER. HE FEATHERED THE RIGHT PROPELLER AND DIVERTED TO TURNER FIELD. WHEN HE LOWERED THE GEAR, HE DID NOT GET A SAFE INDICATION FOR THE LEFT MAIN. THREE CIRCUITS OF THE AIRPORT WERE MADE AND ALTITUDE WAS LOST WHILE ATTEMPTING TO GET A SAFE INDICATION. ANTICIPATING AN IMMINENT GEAR COLLAPSE HE TURNED TO LAND ON A GRASS RUNWAY, SHUT DOWN AND FEATHERED THE ENGINE, AND TURNED OFF THE ELECTRIAL POWER BEFORE TOUCHDOWN. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LEFT GEAR LOCKED. WITH BOTH ENGINES AND THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN, HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE PLANE ANGLED TO THE LEFT AND STRUCK A TREE AND SOME BRUSH. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT TWO REDUCTION GEAR STATIONARY DRIVE PLATE BOLTS, PN 68364, HAD FAILED. THE MAGNETO DRIVE GEAR IDLER SHAFT HAD MOVED OUT OF POSITION AND GEARS TO DRIVE BOTH MAGNETO CAMS WERE NO LONGER MESHING.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,458 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IGSO-540-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: David Frenier, INC
The flight
- Departed from: PHL Philadelphia PA at 3:45 pm
- Destination: BUF Buffalo NY
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 25, 2,200 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.